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Excerpt-UPDATE, 6:55 p.m.: Schmidt released this statement on the controversy: “The President is indeed a Citizen of this country and constitutionally qualified to be President of the United States. I may not agree with his politics but there is no doubt he is the President and has my full respect....

The linked video - from the Obama admin-linked ThinkProgress.org - shows Rep. Jean Schmidt in conversation with a constituent about whether Obama is eligible to be president apparently in regards to the natural born citizen issue. Schmidt then says "I agree with you, but the courts don't". Does this mean that Schmidt is now a "Birther" and won't be invited to any GOP cocktail parties, or is there another explanation? The video also illustrates that the Dems are going to jump on anything remotely "Birther"-ish, and the plan by the GOP leadership and lower-level hacks to push away "Birthers" only...

Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) may be the worst stage whisperer in recent American political history. At a Labor Day tea party event in Cincinnati, Schmidt was approached by a slightly unhinged constituent who wanted to know why she wans't demanding to see President Obama's birth certificate. ThinkProgress happened to have a tracker hovering nearby, who recorded the exchange, which captures the wink-wink game some GOP pols are playing with the birther fringe. "You can't be a president..." the woman shouts as a Schmidt supporter tries to get in between the camera guy and the participants. Schmidt them tries to get...

Congresswoman Schmidt More Seriously Hurt Last Update: 12:47 pm Congresswoman Jean Schmidt Tri-State Congresswoman Jean Schmidt is back in Cincinnati after cutting short a trip to Afghanistan because of injuries suffered when she was hit by a car on Wednesday. Schmidt was jogging on Loveland-Miamiville Road in Miami Township early that morning when a car went off the road and hit her. That car did not stop but another passing motorist offered the Congresswoman a ride to the hospital. Doctors said she suffered cuts and bruises, so the Congresswoman went ahead with a planned visit to Afghanistan. But, during a...

Police are investigating after U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, was hit by a car while jogging Wednesday morning. Schmidt was running on Loveland-Miamiville Road near her Miami Twp. home at about 5:45 a.m. when she noticed a car coming toward her, said her spokesman, Bruce Pfaff. As the car approached, she turned and jumped out of the way, but the car ultimately caught her on her right hip, and she was thrown a few feet off the road. The car, Pfaff said, didn't "really swerve at her, but it didn't veer away from her."

Not sure if this has been posted already, but this is a clip of a US Congresswoman causing an uproar in the Congress by her words. Can you guess who is bleating? U.S. Congress IN Uproar By Womans Choice of Words

See Video

Local Congresswoman Jean Schmidt is being accused of plagiarism. In her weekly column, Schmidt gives tips on how to help students stay safe on the bus. But, according to the Enquirer, those tip are lifted, word for word, from a 2005 column written by an Ohio State Highway Patrol Colonel. A Schmidt spokesman says her actions were okay because they were safety instructions. This isn't the first time Schmidt's integrity has come into question. Last year she was accused of plagiarizing a column on Medicare and she has also received a reprimand from the State Elections Commission for claiming a...

<p>WASHINGTON - A second elections complaint against Rep. Jean Schmidt was filed Friday, this time over allegations that she misrepresented her educational background.</p> <p>According to the complaint, filed with the state elections commission, Schmidt claimed on candidate surveys, previous campaign Web sites and in official Ohio House literature that she earned two bachelor's degrees from the University of Cincinnati, one in political science in 1974 and one in "social studies-secondary education" in 1986.</p>

As a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1984, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) expressed her contempt for a future colleague and allegedly likened young Republican activists to Hitler, according to an interview published by the local paper at the time. While shadowing Schmidt at the convention, The Cincinnati Enquirer reporter initially described Schmidt as a “woman who will speak her mind whenever she pleases.” Schmidt, who was 32 at the time, provided evidence for this assessment during her time with the reporter, who quoted her taking issue with future Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.), who was then President Reagan’s transportation...

As a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1984, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) expressed her contempt for a future colleague and allegedly likened young Republican activists to Hitler, according to an interview published by the local paper at the time. While shadowing Schmidt at the convention, The Cincinnati Enquirer reporter initially described Schmidt as a “woman who will speak her mind whenever she pleases.” Schmidt, who was 32 at the time, provided evidence for this assessment during her time with the reporter, who quoted her taking issue with future Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.), who was then President Reagan’s transportation...

Today there are only 68 more days till the GOP Primary Elections on May 2, and political insiders just can't stop talking about that Evans-Novak Political Report that declared revered Congressman Bob McEwen the frontrunner.

So Many Faces,So Little Birdshot Ever since Dick Cheney shot his 78-year-old friend in the face with a shotgun, the news media everywhere has been totally obsessed with that story. Even hereabouts, our local Kneepad Liberals in the Press seemed similarly obsessed. With only 75 more days till our May 2 Primary Elections in Ohio, reporters were asking if "Mean Jean" Schmidt had ever shot a friend in the face. Maybe they should be asking if Her Meanness ever had a friend. When "TaxKiller Tom" Brinkman made his surprise announcement yesterday at Hamilton County GOP Headquarters that he planned to...

I recently had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to the Middle East to visit with our troops. This trip was important to me. I wanted to take this journey so I could talk firsthand to our troops and be sure they have the body armor and equipment they need, and I wanted to see the kind of progress being made in Afghanistan and Iraq. Another purpose for our visit was to learn how we can help these new democracies get up and running. It was truly one of the most eye-opening experiences I've had. I traveled with a bipartisan group...

March for Life National Mall Washington, District of Columbia (United States) Gray, Nellie, President, March for Life Pence, Mike, U.S. Representative, R-IN 33rd Annual March for Life on the National Mall. President Bush is expected to speak via audio connection.

No more Patriot Act means Operation Able Danger and 9/11 all over again. Don't let the sun set on the Patriot Act. Call your state senator at 202-225-3121. Freed Iraq. No thanks to Democrat oposition. Cowards cut and run. Marines never do. Stay the course. Peace with God. I believe in a time when Americans had guts. Maximum Effort. Abandon Iraq? NO! Thank you, FreeRepublic, for allowing me to post my work!

Congresswoman Jean Schmidt has lashed out again. The newly elected Republican Ohio Representative scolded Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean for comments he made Wednesday about pulling U.S. soldiers out of Iraq. She also criticized Mr. Dean for calling the war unwinnable. "I say shame on you Howard Dean. Shame on you Mr. Dean for telling our troops and our enemies that we cannot win this war. Shame on you for choosing today, the day millions of Iraqis are going to the polls to vote to spread your lies," Schmidt said. She continued: "I continue to support our troops and I'll...

DNC Unveils New 'Shame on Jean Schmidt' Ads 12/15/2005 1:55:00 PM To: State Desk, Political Reporter Contact: Damien LaVera of the Democratic National Committee, 202-863-8148 WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Democratic National Committee (DNC) today unveiled new advertisements aimed at holding Republican Congresswoman Jean Schmidt accountable for her attacks on Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha, a decorated war veteran with 37 years of military service, during a Congressional debate on the Iraq War. The ads -- including a 10-by-20 foot mobile billboard, full-page ads in 10 newspapers throughout Schmidt's district, and online Web ads -- were unveiled this morning...

WASHINGTON The Democratic National Committee has found a way to advertise its anti-Jean Schmidt message after all. The D-N-C had wanted to put up billboards criticizing the Cincinnati-area Republican congresswoman, but an advertising agency refused. Democrats have settled for the same message appearing on a billboard towed by a truck that will be driven throughout her district for two weeks. A full-page ad will also run in nine local newspapers and on various Internet sites. Schmidt was widely criticized after she attacked Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha, a Democrat and former Marine who called for the US to withdraw from Iraq....

WASHINGTON - Rep. Jean Schmidt, the lowest-ranking member of the House, can't escape the firestorm she caused by calling 30-year congressman and Vietnam veteran John Murtha a coward for wanting U.S. soldiers out of Iraq. So Schmidt, R-Ohio, is trying to laugh at the ridicule. Her staff obtained a DVD copy of Rachel Dratch's spoof of Schmidt on NBC's Saturday Night Live. And Schmidt pores over positive notes from constituents, some of which say ''You go girl!'' and at least one of which requested her hand in marriage. Schmidt said her biting Nov. 18 remark about Murtha -- ''Cowards cut...

WASHINGTON — An advertising company that gives most of its political donations to Republicans has refused to put up billboards criticizing Rep. Jean Schmidt, an Ohio Republican. The Democratic National Committee had sought to rent two billboards in Portsmouth, Ohio, and another in Cincinnati with a picture of Schmidt and the message: “Shame on you, Jean Schmidt: Stop attacking veterans. Keep your eye on the ball — we need a real plan for Iraq.” Lamar Advertising Co. of Baton Rouge, La., owns the billboards. Schmidt attacked Rep. John Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat who is a Marine veteran, for his call...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An advertising company that gives most of its political donations to Republicans blocked the Democratic National Committee from putting up billboards criticizing GOP Rep. Jean Schmidt of Ohio. Lamar Advertising Co. of Baton Rouge, La., refused to put up two billboards in Portsmouth, Ohio, and another in Cincinnati with a picture of Schmidt and the following message: "Shame on you, Jean Schmidt: Stop attacking veterans. Keep your eye on the ball - we need a real plan for Iraq."The billboards are the result of 7,000 donations, DNC executive director Tom McMahon said, after Schmidt attacked Pennsylvania Rep....

Republicans Are Cowards for Not Defending Rep. Jean Schmidt Posted Nov 30, 2005 by Ann Coulter When Democratic Rep. John Murtha called for the withdrawal of American troops in the middle of the war, Republicans immediately leapt to action by calling Murtha a war hero, a patriot and a great American. I haven't heard Republicans issue this many encomiums to one man since Ronald Reagan died. By now, Murtha has been transformed into the greatest warrior since Alexander the Great and is probably dating Jennifer Aniston. In response to Murtha's demand for the "immediate withdrawal of American troops" -- as...

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Jean Schmidt said last week that she was just the messenger when she implied that a Democratic congressman is a coward for urging the United States to pull out of Iraq. But the man Schmidt said asked her to deliver the message says his remarks were taken out of context. State Rep. Dan Bubp, an attorney and colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, never asked Schmidt to relay a message to anyone in Congress on his behalf, his spokeswoman, Karen Tabor, said Monday. Bubp did have a phone conversation with Schmidt about the war in Iraq, but...

WASHINGTON -- There is no doubt Rep. John Boehner of Ohio is quietly enlisting support from fellow House Republicans to elect him as majority leader in January. The question is whether Rep. Tom Reynolds of New York also is campaigning to be majority whip.Reports of a Boehner-Reynolds ticket have circulated in Washington, but Reynolds vigorously denies it. If he does run for whip, Reynolds would be accused of cutting and running from his duties as House Republican campaign chairman because of the difficult 2006 midterm election ahead.A special election in January would mean House Republicans have given up on Tom...

CINCINNATI (Nov. 23) - Ohio Republican Jean Schmidt said Tuesday she should have rephrased her sharp critique of a fellow congressman's call to immediately pull troops from Iraq. Schmidt was booed off the floor of the U.S. House on Friday after she criticized Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., saying that "cowards cut and run, Marines never do." When Schmidt made the comment, Democrats rose in protest at the suggestion that Murtha, a decorated Vietnam veteran and the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, was a coward. Schmidt said the comment was prompted by a conversation she had with state...

Forgive the vanity, but I just heard that Rep. Jean Schmidt, the newest Republcan congresswoman from Ohio, had to withdraw her remarks in the debate about the bill about withdrawl from Iraq. She was merely quoting a Marine who wrote her and said of Democratic appeaesment "Cowards cut and run. Marines finish the job." Why on earth would she be made to apologize for this? She was not directly calling anyone cowards, but these Democrats are most assuredly that for their emerging cut and run policy on Iraq. It's amazing, Democrats can make the most outrageous comments attacking the president...

So when Representative Jean Schmidt, an Ohio Republican, created a furor on her 75th day in Congress by lobbing the word "coward" toward a Democratic war hero, those who know her best were anything but surprised.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 - She grew up in the rough-and-tumble of a family auto racing business, went through concealed-weapons training, and bears a local nickname seldom applied to shrinking violets: "Mean Jean." So when Representative Jean Schmidt, an Ohio Republican, created a furor on her 75th day in Congress by lobbing the word "coward" toward a Democratic war hero, those who know her best were anything but surprised. Just this week, a profile in The Hill newspaper, which covers Congress, labeled her "gloriously uncensored." Back home in her suburban Cincinnati district, the Whistleblower, an online newsletter that tracks local politics,...

WASHINGTON - The House on Friday overwhelmingly rejected calls for an immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq, a vote engineered by the Republicans that was intended to fail. Democrats derided the vote as a political stunt. "Our troops have become the enemy. We need to change direction in Iraq," said Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, a Democratic hawk whose call a day earlier for pulling out troops sparked a nasty, personal debate over the war. The House voted 403-3 to reject a nonbinding resolution calling for an immediate troop withdrawal. "We want to make sure that we support our troops that...

CAPITOL HILL (AP) -- There's been heated debate on the House floor regarding a GOP effort to force a vote on Congressman John Murtha's call for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq. Democrats charge the effort is a cheap political stunt and a personal attack. Instead of offering Murtha's resolution, Republicans plan to reject a similarly worded resolution offered by one of their own to show support for US troops. Democrats say that's a "counterfeit" resolution, charging it guts Murtha's thoughtful approach to the situation. The fiery, emotional debate climaxed when Ohio Congresswoman Jean Schmidt, who is the lowest in seniority,...

The Real Meaning of Buckeye Special Election Is Ohio Turning Blue? by John Gizzi Posted Aug 12, 2005 In the wake of a Democratic candidate’s narrow loss in the August 2 special election in Ohio’s most Republican U.S. House district, pundits have begun pondering whether the Buckeye State is turning blue. The problem for Republicans seems to be the stench that has begun to envelop the administration of Ohio GOP Gov. Robert A. Taft. Republicans have held the Ohio governorship for 16 years and in the last two presidential elections the state has been indispensable in providing an Electoral College...

BATAVIA, Ohio — Jean Schmidt campaigned nearly nonstop in the 24 hours before the polls opened, hitting all-night restaurants in search of voters. The 53-year-old Republican wore out staffers half her age, and she was still going strong as the sun came up, casting her own vote, attending Mass and then continuing to campaign until around 11 p.m., when it became clear she had won the special election for Congress. On Sept. 6, she'll be sworn in to replace Rob Portman, a 12-year Republican representative who left to become U.S. trade representative. "If you want to do something, nothing holds...

On Tuesday night a Democrat running in a Republican district nearly became the first Iraq-war veteran elected to Congress. The two traded leads throughout the evening in a surprisingly close finish. In the end, heavily favored Republican Jean Schmidt edged out Democrat Paul Hackett by a narrow margin of 52 to 48 percent. Schmidt finally pulled away as the votes were tabulated by hand in her home county after severe humidity prevented them from being counted by machine. Liberal activists, particularly bloggers, did the heavy lifting for their candidate who only last week referred to President Bush as a "son-of-a-bitch."...

Kevin Hackett, Democrat candidate for Congress in Ohio’s Second Congressional District wildly over-performed in his attempt to win yesterday’s special election against Republican Jean Schmidt. Hackett earned 48% of the vote in this heavily Republican district, which George W. Bush won in 2000 with 63% and in which he performed even stronger in 2004. Lefty blogs – who helped fuel Hackett’s coffers with small dollar donations – are celebrating another “almost win.” And, of course, they are again playing the victim card. Here’s John Nichols blogging for The Nation: Remarkably, in a district that favored George W. Bush over John...

Democrats on Wednesday celebrated a closer-than-expected loss in a special House of Representatives race in Ohio and called it a warning sign for Republicans entering the 2006 congressional elections. But Republicans cautioned against reading too much into Jean Schmidt's narrow win over Democrat and Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett, saying low turnout and local issues made the race unique and kept it from being a bellwether on Republican leadership or President Bush. Schmidt, a former state representative, beat Hackett by 3,500 votes out of more than 112,000 cast in the conservative and heavily Republican district, where no Democrat in decades...

Dems Brand Ohio Loss as ‘Shockwave of Voter Discontent’ By Randy Hall CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor August 03, 2005 (CNSNews.com) - Even though Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett lost Tuesday's special congressional election to GOP candidate Jean Schmidt 52 to 48 percent, Democratic leaders were delighted with the results, calling their Ohio loss "a shockwave of voter discontent." A Republican spokesman had a brief response: "We won." "This election is a shockwave of voter discontent that will be felt all across the country," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rahm Emanuel in a press release. "Every Republican in Congress should consider...

The DUmmies are complaining about an election stolen in Ohio. No, I’m not talking about the Presidential election results in Ohio of last November. I am referring to the congressional election last night of a Republican from a heavily Republican district. Therefore it is NO surprise that Republican Jean Schmidt won over Democrat (although he pretended he wasn’t) Paul Hackett. However, I knew for at least a week that I would be doing a DUmmie FUnnies edition the morning following the election about outraged DUmmies claiming vote fraud AGAIN in Ohio as you can see in this THREAD titled,...

Her party and so-called friends: 1. Schmidt's primary opponents, with rare exception, gave her lukewarm backing. Bob McEwen high-tailed it back to Virginia, Pat DeWine disappeared (okay, maybe that's just as well), and Tom Brinkman was invisible. I'm guessing a bit here--That disinterest by the primary losers extended to their folks on the ground, and is one reason why the national GOP had to shore things up in the final days. 2. The evangelicals (Dobson, Perkins, Wildmon, et al) who unethically supported Bob McEwen's parachute candidacy, even though there was little difference on their key "values" issues among the various...

Iraq War Veteran in Ohio Sought Open House Seat CINCINNATI, Aug. 2 -- A Republican former state lawmaker claimed a seat in Congress on Tuesday by narrowly defeating a veteran of the Iraq war who drew national attention to the race with his military service and harsh criticism of President Bush.With all precincts reporting, Jean Schmidt had 52 percent, or 57,974 votes, compared with Democrat Paul Hackett's 48 percent, or 54,401 votes. Schmidt's margin of victory was 3,573 votes out of 112,375 cast.

Republican Edges Out Iraq Veteran for Ohio Congress Seat By JAMES DAO Published: August 3, 2005 CINCINNATI, Aug 2 - A former Republican state legislator narrowly won a special Congressional election in southern Ohio on Tuesday, ending an underdog bid by her Democratic opponent to become the first combat veteran from the Iraq war to serve in Congress. With all of the precincts reporting, Jean Schmidt, the Republican, had nearly 52 percent of the vote, edging out her challenger, Paul L. Hackett, a major in the Marine Forces Reserve, by about 4,000 votes. "Voters declared that they support our president...

CINCINNATI -- A resume that includes military service in Iraq and harsh attacks on President George W. Bush wasn't enough to land Paul Hackett on Capitol Hill. The Iraq war veteran narrowly lost a bid to win a special congressional election in Ohio. Hackett was hoping to become the first veteran of the Iraq war elected to Congress. Republican Jean Schmidt beat Hackett and will replace Rob Portman, who left Congress this year after being named U.S. trade representative by Bush. Schmidt is a well-known, experienced Republican who headed the Cincinnati-area Right to Life. Hackett initially opposed the U.S. invasion...

CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Republicans narrowly held on to a vacant U.S. House of Representatives seat in Ohio on Tuesday, defeating a Democratic Iraq war veteran who had hammered away at President Bush and his Iraq policy. In the closely watched race, heavily favored Republican Jean Schmidt, 53, won by a 3 percent margin over personal injury lawyer Paul Hackett, who recently spent seven months as a Marine civil affairs officer in hot spots like Ramadi and Fallujah. The special election to replace Rob Portman, who resigned to become U.S. trade representative after easily winning six terms in the U.S. House...

Schmidt Narrowly Beats Hackett For CongressRepublican Jean Schmidt won the Greater Cincinnati vote and narrowly defeated Democrat Paul Hackett in a race for Congress that went down to the wire. Schmidt won the seat in the Ohio Second Congressional District by 52 percent to 48 percent, and Three Rivers, Edgewood and Franklin passed school levies in Tuesday night's special election. In the unofficial vote total, Schmidt defeated Hackett by 3,573 votes -- 57,954 to 54,401. Schmidt won the Greater Cincinnati vote, taking the east side of Hamilton County, southern Warren County and Clermont County. Hackett won the rural eastern counties...

Schmidt Wins 08/02 11:05 PM The local affiliate Fox 19 has just called the race for Jean Schmidt over Paul Hackett 52 to 48 percent. Many thanks to all The Buzz readers who helped keep all of us on breaking news side of this. And thanks to everyone who kept reading late tonight as well. The Channel 9 affiliate has called the race as well.

With 62 percent of precincts reporting, Republican Jean Schmidt had 51 percent, or 35,161 votes, to 49 percent for Democrat Paul Hackett, who had 34,175 votes. Schmidt's lead amounted to about 1,000 votes.

Has anyone seen any polls?

CINCINNATI - The Cincinnati Enquirer endorsed Republican Jean Schmidt Sunday to fill former Rep. Rob Portman's seat in the 2nd Congressional District, saying she understands the district's needs and is better able to help meet them than her opponent. Schmidt will face Democrat Paul Hackett Tuesday in a special election to replace Portman, who left to become U.S. trade representative. Schmidt, a lifelong resident of Clermont County and a former state representative, knows how to make deals and has offered specific examples of projects and programs that would help the seven-county southern Ohio district, the newspaper said. The newspaper praised...